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Ducks sign Lovejoy to three-year extension

L.A.TIMES

FS West

The
Ducks on Thursday signed their pending free-agent defenseman
Ben Lovejoy to a three-year contract extension valued at $3.3 million, according to a league official.

Lovejoy, 29, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 6, was second among Ducks defensemen with 10 assists in 32 games.

The 6-feet-2, 215-pound Lovejoy averaged 21:05 of ice time in the seven-game Stanley Cup first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings.

Lovejoy, following his fifth NHL season, said in exit interviews in Anaheim that he was hopeful to remain a Duck after the team won the Pacific Division in the lockout-shortened season.

In 35 combined games with the Ducks and Pittsburgh, Lovejoy had 10 points and 29 penalty minutes with a plus-four rating.

The NHL official who provided the terms of Lovejoy’s contract said he’ll earn $1 million this coming season, $1.1 million in 2014-15 and $1.2 million in 2015-16. The official was unauthorized to speak publicly about the deal.

The Ducks are also interested in retaining other unrestricted free agents who will be eligible to negotiate with other teams early next month, including veterans
Teemu Selanne and
Saku Koivu.
-Lance Pugmire